Month: February 2011

Are you so ready for spring? For a large part of the country, spring and its fever are just around the corner, and with it, bird migration. The earliest migration date here in Cincinnati is April 12, with the return of the Chestnut-sided warbler. Scores of other birds will soon follow. The excitement of their beauty and color are a spring bellwether. Attract them to your yard this year with a little pre-planning as we finish out winter. Find out:

However; for some, Old Man Winter is not quite ready to rest. According to weather reports, beginning this Sunday (2/20) and lasting through Tuesday, snow may develop in the Plains and Great Lakes and spread into parts of the East. Even sleet and freezing rain may slicken roads from Nebraska into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. Bird lovers in these northern parts of the country may be a bit more interested in:

This House Finch flew into my kitchen window, no doubt because he thought he saw another bird. Stunned, he flew to this nearby branch and stayed a good long time. Enough to get a few good shots of him. I usually see him from the front at my window feeder. This was a rare treat to see his beautiful light red markings on his back.

Gear up for the 112th Great Backyard Bird Count, coming February 18 – 22. A joint project of the Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.

How do I participate?

1.COUNT THE BIRDS! – Count birds at any location for a minimum of 15 minutes. You can count for a longer period, but 15 minutes is the required minimum for entering data.

2. WRITE IT DOWN – Write down the highest number of each species you see together at any given time to avoid counting the same birds twice.

3. SUBMIT YOUR DATA – Submit your data on a new checklist for each day you participate in the count.